


Through Aang’s Eyes

by ThePinkTeenager



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang Week 2021, Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar), Avatar Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Memories, Surviving Air Nomads (Avatar), but I don’t know the rules, memory sharing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 03:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29619822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePinkTeenager/pseuds/ThePinkTeenager
Summary: Aang appears in Zuko’s mind and shows the prince his painful story.
Relationships: Aang & Air Nomads (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 12
Collections: Quote Prompt Memes





	Through Aang’s Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [quoteonlyprompts](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/quoteonlyprompts) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> "I think you're finally ready,"
> 
> "Ready for what?"
> 
> "Ready to learn about what happened all those years ago,"

“Hello, Zuko.” 

The voice was not real. It was talking to Zuko in his while he meditated. Actually, he knew that voice. 

“Aang?” he asked. 

“Yes.” A young airbender appeared in Zuko’s mind. He was about twenty, bald except for a brown beard, with blue arrows tattooed on his head and arms. He wore loose yellow clothing and held a folded glider in one hand. Despite the colors, he was faint- almost as if he was made of the air he bent. 

“Aang... why are you here?” asked Zuko, always impatient. 

“I think you’re finally ready.” said Aang. 

“Ready for what?” 

“Ready to learn what happened all those years ago.”

Zuko was confused. “What are you talking about?” he asked. He knew the history of the world, having been taught by the best teachers in the Fire Nation. Besides, what did Aang mean when he said “what happened all those years ago”? 

Aang sighed. “I think it’s best if I show you.” he said. “Close your eyes.” 

Zuko closed his eyes. He felt Aang’s hand on his face, though once again it wasn’t real. Then he heard the airbender’s voice again. 

“You can open your eyes now.” 

Zuko opened his eyes. He was standing in front of a closed door. The area around hum looked the Eastern Air Temple, but not exactly. On the other side of the door, he heard voices. 

“Your feelings for the boy have clouded your judgment.” 

“A war coming...” 

“He needs to train...” 

“We need to separate you and Aang. He will be sent to the Eastern Air Temple.” 

Zuko realized that Aang was showing him a memory. This must’ve been before the genocide; Aang was no older than twelve. Wait a second; he seemed shorter than usual. And his clothes felt looser, too. Zuko looked down to check. 

Zuko gasped. His hands had blue arrows tattooed on them. That didn’t make any sense, unless... _I’m Aang_. He was watching the memory through Aang’s eyes. 

Zuko felt himself panicking and running. He didn’t decide to run; Aang did. Then everything faded away. For a second, Zuko thought it was over. 

It wasn’t. The scene around him changed to a room with stone walls. He saw himself- Aang- grab supplies and his glider and write a note to the airbenders. He climbed onto Appa, Aang’s pet bison, and told the creature to fly. He saw the world go by in a dark, teary haze.

Then a storm hit and boy and bison fell into the water. He felt the water around him, threatening to drown him. Then he felt himself leaving his body- he was going into the Avatar State. Then he felt the cold ice, and eventually nothing at all. 

Light. He saw a crack of light shining through the ice. The next thing he saw was a girl he couldn’t name but had definitely seen somewhere. She was wearing Water Tribe clothes. 

“Hey,” she said, “can you hear me?” 

Zuko spoke, but his voice was that of a young Aang. “Yeah.” he said. 

The girl smiled. “My name’s Myka.” she said. 

“My name’s Aang.” he said. Then his memory started to come back. “Oh no,” he said, “How long was I in there? I’m supposed to be at the Eastern Air Temple. The monks and nuns are going to go looking for me.” 

A sad expression crossed Myka’s face. “Aang,” she said, “the Air Nomads are dead.” 

He was shocked. “Dead?” said the boy. “What? How? Why?” 

“Fire Lord Sozin killed them all about a month ago.” said Myka grimly. 

Grief washed over the boy. The monks who raised him, the boys he’d played with, the visitors he’d met... all of them dead. He started to cry. 

Myka held him. “I’m sorry.” she said. 

The scene changed again. Now Zuko was over a forest on Appa, looking for airbenders. They were both worn out. Then he saw a flash of orange. Could it be... 

Appa flew toward the flash. The figure turned abruptly, but didn’t run from the massive bison. Sure enough, it was an airbender- a girl in her late teens. She stared at him in shock. 

“Is that... an airbender?” she asked. 

The boy nodded. “My name is Aang.” he said. “I’m from the Southern Air Temple.” 

“My name’s Mina.” said the girl. “I’m from the Eastern Air Temple. I’ve been hiding in these woods ever since...” she didn’t need to finish her sentence. 

“Are you alone?” he asked. 

She shook her head. “I escaped with a girl named Tuli, but she’s only five. I can take you to her.” 

“Sounds good.” 

Another scene change. Now, Zuko was standing in a small group of airbenders of varying ages. He recognized Mina next to a girl who must be Tuli. All were watching him expectantly. 

“We need to find a permanent home.” said Aang. “The Eastern Air Temple is farthest from the Fir Nation, so it should be safer, though I don’t know what condition it’s in. Anyone have a problem with that?” 

Nobody spoke. 

“Okay then,” he said, “let’s get moving.” 

The Eastern Air Temple turned out to be a wreck, but an inhabitable wreck. The airbenders camped out in its remains, sleeping together in two rooms for warmth. Once the others had settled down, Aang left to master the elements. The others didn’t want him to leave, but were very understanding about his situation. After all, he was as much a refugee as they were. 

The temple faded away. Zuko was back in a nondescript room, facing Aang. He looked at the airbender. 

“Is that what you meant?” he asked. “When you said I was ready.” 

Aang nodded. “Yes.” he said. “That is how my people survived the genocide. That is how _I_ survived the genocide. Fire Lord Sozin started a war that only you can end.” 

“But... you trained for years, and you couldn’t end it. Neither could Dara or Yaogun. How am I supposed to end this war?” The unspoken question lingered: _how am I supposed to defeat my father?_

Aang put his hands on Zuko’s shoulders. “I have faith in you, son. We will be there to help you. But we can only do so much. At the end of the day, you must stop the Fire Nation before all is lost. Do you understand?” 

Zuko forced the word out of his throat. “Yes.” 


End file.
